Fresh off his double platinum collaboration with Drake, 21 Savage has once again graced us with a new project. His Jan. 12 album american dream is decent but doesn’t deliver the same punch as past works.
I started listening to 21 Savage in 2018 when I came across his third studio album, Savage Mode. Listening to this album and his other works, such as Without Warning and i am > i was, I fell in love with his unique sound. His monotonous, cold, calm flow, combined with oftentimes gory, simplistic lyrics and grimy, dark, melodic, and bass-heavy beats, made for an enjoyable listen no matter the time or place.
Compared to his previous works, american dream is a deviation from his past works.
The beats and overall ambience created aren’t as dark and menacing. The majority of beats on american dream have background vocals ingrained into the beat due to samples sprinkled all throughout the album. “All of me,” “redrum,” “letter to my brudda,” “dangerous,” “see the real,” “prove it,” “should’ve wore a bonnet,” “just like me,” and “dark days” are all examples of songs with samples that result in background vocals all throughout the song.
However, there were many standout tracks I know I’ll come back to, which is why I say american dream has the potential to be a special piece of work.
One song that immediately stood out to me was “prove it.” While the song had a sample that brought background vocals as a component of the instrumental, this fit the R&B vibe perfectly. The R&B instrumental combined with an amazing Summer Walker feature and 21’s contrasting vocals and delivery delivered a special track.
“n.h.i.e” stood out in ways very similar to “prove it,” in that the contrast between Doja Cat and 21’s vocals and delivery made the song a joy to listen to. I liked how 21 Savage referenced “n.h.i.e.,” saying “play with her cat, Doja” to welcome Doja Cat to the album. Doja Cat was a great choice to feature on this song, with her smooth, quirky background vocals and ad-libs during 21’s verses being satisfying to listen to. I’ve also never heard someone say “ad-lib” as an ad-lib, so that was a first.
My favourite song off the album is “pop ur shit,” mainly due to the dark beat being exactly what I want behind 21 Savage’s menacing vocals. This song is reminiscent of previous projects, with an emphasis on a strong baseline, dark melody, and a memorable hook. Both 21 Savage and Young Thug sound hungry and aggressive in their delivery, which is commendable for two of the most accomplished names in the industry.
There’s also the classic spinning-the-block and vegan/beef jokes 21 Savage often uses in his music. For example, in “all of me,” he says “see, my shooter pescatarian, but he eat up all the beef,” later also saying “we got choppers out until we find somewhere to park.”
One way the album falls flat is a lack of features. Drake, a long-time collaborator, fan favourite, and close friend of 21 Savage, who included 21 Savage in his album For All The Dogs, complements 21 Savage’s voice and delivery, oftentimes adding catchiness to his songs was nowhere to be found. Just think of this lyric “21, can you do sum for me.”
Young Nudy, who when collaborating with 21 Savage has never disappointed, is also a missed feature. The legendary anthem “EA,” and the classic “Umbrella” track from Metro Boomin’s Heroes and Villians, are two examples of amazing tracks that came from the artists past collaborations.
I do love how the whole album centres around the concept of staying resilient through challenges and troubles to achieve the American dream, one 21 Savage’s mother endured many challenges to provide for him, a tone set by the first track titled “american dream.”
The track’s end features her delivering a spoken word poem where she says she hopes “for my son to become a man and live free in his American dream.”
Ultimately, this album could have accomplished far more with better beat selections and the addition of more featured artists, but it’s nice seeing 21 Savage experimenting with different beats and features, especially when it results in some standout tracks I will 100 per cent be adding to my playlist.
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